Robotic spray coating systems are widely used on manufacturing lines. In some cases, robotic spray coating systems may coat objects with paint, although other materials may also be sprayed. While robotic spray coating systems are useful for providing superior finishes, such systems can often produce an accumulation of coating material due to “overspray”. This occurs when trace coating material particles leaving a coating spray do not set on a target work piece and instead drift away and deposit on surrounding structures, including expensive robotic components. This requires time consuming regular cleaning procedures and, in some cases, may risk reduced coating quality.
Consequently, it can be understood that it would be desirable to reduce overspray in robotic spray coating applications. The present invention is directed to a robotic spray coating assembly and method for spraying a coating that reduces overspray, as well as a vehicle spray painting system utilizing such a robotic spray coating assembly.